The Manual for Parasitological Surveillance in Prevention of Reintroduction or Re-establishment of Malaria in Sri Lanka (2019) provides guidelines to health professionals on how to conduct effective malaria surveillance to prevent the reintroduction of the disease in Sri Lanka, which was certified m...alaria-free in 2016. The manual outlines strategies for active and passive case detection, laboratory diagnosis, case investigation, foci investigation, and follow-up measures. It emphasizes targeted screening of high-risk populations, including travelers and migrant workers, and explains the importance of prompt reporting, accurate parasitological confirmation, and coordination between healthcare levels. The overall goal is to maintain Sri Lanka’s malaria-free status by ensuring early detection and rapid response to any imported or locally suspected malaria cases. more

The document “Malaria Prophylaxis for Travellers: Guideline for Healthcare Workers” (2019) from Sri Lanka provides guidance for healthcare providers on preventing malaria among travelers to endemic areas. It explains that since Sri Lanka was certified malaria-free in 2016, the main risk comes f...rom imported cases, mostly Sri Lankan travelers. The document emphasizes assessing travelers’ risk, advising on mosquito bite prevention, and prescribing appropriate chemoprophylaxis like chloroquine, mefloquine, atovaquone-proguanil, or doxycycline depending on destination and traveler profile. It highlights that children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals are particularly at risk, and stresses adherence to medications and protective measures. Special instructions are given on handling missed doses, long-term prophylaxis, and managing side effects. Overall, the guideline aims to maintain Sri Lanka’s malaria-free status by preventing reintroduction through well-informed traveler care. more

Anopheles stephensi is an invasive mosquito species which has been found spreading across Africa. While this species presents a new challenge for malaria control on the continent, its surveillance and management have been ongoing in Asia for many years. This document aims to summarize key lessons fr...om 3 countries – India, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Sri Lanka – that have been working to control An. stephensi. It is hoped that their experiences and insights will be valuable for countries encountering An. stephensi for the first time. more

APMEN Case study

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is described as a situation when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder or impossible to treat, and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.1 AMR in recent years has... become a global priority in public health due to its widespread consequences and increasing occurrence from time to time. AMR has a formidable impact where the existing antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective, and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat. more

Nat Med (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01381-y